


More then just a chemical

by creativwritingmind



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: F/M, Other, Religious Conflict, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Suicide, Supernatural Elements, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-22
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-11-03 17:43:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17882315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creativwritingmind/pseuds/creativwritingmind
Summary: I don't know if this oneis about me or the devil...





	1. Chapter 1

An earie sound flowed over the crowd, mostly drowned in darkness. Tyler could feel their anticipation physically, not only heared the noises, but truely, really felt them. This was one of the most intense moments of their concerts, one of connection, of bonding, of energy. The fans knew the drill by now, knew that when the lights were turned back up, Tyler would hop off stage and take his place in their middle, crawl on their hands, stand up high above them to rap out the first lines of the song they cherished so much. Nothing could compare to this feeling, the singer decided, when he willed his heart to calm down, when the spots were brought back up and he could see them, survey the people in the front row, looking out for a group that would be strong and clear minded enough to hold him up for some time. It was a routine, practiced over years, every movement, every beat carved into his flesh and blood. Tyler didn’t look at them, when he gave his securities the sign. They all knew it by heart, and he trusted them, jumping off stage with a fluid movement, making his way towards the outstreched hands. For a moment, panic took him over. He was used to it though, knew that it was a natural reaction. Walking towards a mass of screaming people, a block of reaching fingers and eyes holding sheere excitement wasn’t easy, never had been. Still he loved the challenge, the stepping over his own boundaries, and absently rubbing his sweating palms dry on his pants he reached out, shivering when hands closed around his wrists, pulled him into the crowd. 

Josh was already getting ready to start, he told his friend through their earpiece, and everything else was in line as well. Still Tyler took some moments to securely stable himself, making sure the people would be able to hold him up, and noone would get hurt in the process. This was a moment were memories were made. Scanning the faces around him Tyler tried to save as many of them in his mind as he could, adding them to the album he already had created inside his brain. Sometimes he felt like a vampire, sucking emotions instead of blood, but he knew it were ok this way. They did it as well, soaking up everything he gave them, and it was just right to feed on what they gave him in return. Gripping his microphone hard the singer wanted to push it behind him, giving his friend the signal to start the backtrack, but in the middle of the motion he stopped, irritated by something he couldn’t grab right away. Ignoring Joshs question if anything was wrong Tyler stretched his form, stood up higher on the hands supporting him, squinted his eyes and scanned the crowd. He couldn’t pinpoint what got him to do so, but a sudden clench in his chest made it hard to breath, hard to focus. Trying to stay calm, breathing even, the singer stopped his survey with surprise, when his eyes fell on a spot a little away from him, deeper in the crowd, in the sixth, seventh row maybe. Tilting his head he took in what had thrown him off so much. Their concerts were packed now, to the last inches of a venue, fame had brought them there and erased the visuals of half empty pits, that had haunted him for so long. So it wasn’t all too surprising that this spot caught his eye. In between the fans, pushing towards the barricade, stood a person, singled out, a strange empty radius around them. It looked like people would subconsciously keep their distance to the person, a woman as Tyler recognized now. The lights were still up, Josh slowly getting uneasy in his ear, but he couldn’t rip his eyes of her right away. It was strange, the whole situation itself, but also the way the woman looked. She didn’t seem to fit in there, in between this people full of joy and energy. Tyler had stopped to categorize people after their looks a long time ago, but the red, thight dress she wore, the conspicious make up didn’t seem to fit in. Scanning her form the singer found himself unable to move or speak, until his gaze landed on her face, and crossed with hers. Perfect lips parting into a smile, a gesture that should be warming but chilled his insides in a strange way, the woman waved at him, gave him a wink. „Tyler, seriously, if you don’t start now I’ll tell them to get you out of there!“ Josh now nearly yelled into his ear, and broke the strange spell he had found himself under. Shaking his head, closing his eyes for a second Tyler tried to focus, throwing one last glance her way. He didn’t have time to fathom as he realized she was gone, from one second to the other, as if she would have never been there in the first place. His mind driving on autopilot he gave his drummer the sign and the music started to wash over him, brought movement into the static of the crowd, demanded his attention to stay stable, sway with them. Raising the microphone to his lips Tyler shook off the strange moment, spitting the words he had written years ago. „I’m taking over my body back in controll, no more….“

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Water running down his form like cascades Tyler opened his lips to let some of it run into his mouth, splashed it around and spit it down to the drain at his feet. He still felt dizzy, which wasn't exactly off the normal, after all he did never drink something the half day before a show and was dehydrated by the end of it, but coming off stage he had immediatly drowned two bottles of water and a Red Bull, which should have gotten his blood circuit going by now. Still the singer couldn't fight off the strange numbness that lay over his mind since the moment he had made eye contact with the woman in the crowd. The wicked smile she had gave him was like branded into his brain, left him uneasy, and closing his eyes Tyler turned his face to the stream, started to rub his features hard to get rid of the feeling. It didn't help much, so he let his hands wander to his neck, massaging the straining muscles there, promising himself to get some rest soon. The past weeks had been overstraining, with his grandfather in the hospital and Jenna not there to tour with him Tyler hadn't found a good nights sleep in ages, and he felt the strain of touring slowly starting to wear him down. The noise of the water hitting the bottom of the shower was soothing, it filled the silence his soft gasps left behind, and slowly unwinding a bit the singer started to wash his hair, rubbing the grease out of his strands. The more he startled and hit his front on the shower head, when suddenly someone spoke up, directly beside him, outside the shower. "I wouldn't have given you the credit to be so...well grown, but I gotta say, you're quiet impressive, boy." a female voice told, and stumbling back a step Tyler pressed his body to the cold tiles behind him, covering his crotch with both of his hands out of reaction. "Who the hell is there?" he yelled, his heart pounding against his ribcage, his sight still blurred by the water and the steam it produced around him.

"You're asking the right questions. I just don't think you get that yet." the voice answered and terrified, but feeling anger bubble up in the pit of his stomache Tyler raised one hand to clear the glass door a bit, just to back off with a yell of surprise when he came face to face with the stranger woman he had spotted in the pit. "What...I....you...how the fuck did you get in here?" he cursed, trying desperatly to hide as much of himself as he could, while the woman unashamed let her gaze roam over him before she locked eyes with him again. "Well, to say it in your own words: I go where I want to." she chuckled then, turned and walked over to the toilet, putting the lid down and placing herself on it. Tyler knew he should have called out for the security that was placed right before the door to his dressing room, but somehow his voice didn't work as he tried, so he shrinked back into himself even more, throwing a desperate gaze to the towel rack beside the shower, trying hard to figure out how to get one of them. Following his line of sight the woman grinned, grabbing one and holding it up to him. "I'd hand you this but you maybe want to turn off the shower first." Deeply appaled by the way his hands followed the suggestion like it had been an order the singer shut off the shower, the coldness rushing down on him the moment the warm spray subsided, making him shiver even more. Throwing the towel over the glass door the woman waited patiently for him to secure it around his waist, not leaving him out of eye for a second. Feeling a bit more covered now Tyler turned to her, still too afraid to leave the shower, and took in her whole appearance for the first time. She was beautyful, maybe around 40, although her body didn't match the age of her face. Long, elegant legs wrapped around each other she sat there in her bright red dress, never stopping to send her wicked smiles at him. She didn't look dangerous at all, still all of his insides screamed at him to run, run as fast and as far as he could, but his fear nailed him down to the place he was standing, the shaking the only movement he was able to do so far.

"You....you shouldn't be in here!" he stammered, arms now slung around his body, the smoke of the warm water slowly fading, leaving his vision clear now. "It's not your place to tell me where to be, but you'll learn that soon." she answered, producing a pack of cigarettes out of nowhere and ligthning one. Watching her inhale deeply and blow out the smoke in circles Tyler let his gaze slip to the smoke detector on the ceiling, hoping it worked, but she seemed to get every of his thoughts, just by observing him closly. "Oh, don't bother with that one, they won't hear you, not even if you scream your lungs out. Which you're doing perfectly in that songs, by the way." she gave, visibly amused by his panic. Feeling anger pooling in the pit of his stomache the singer took all courage he had and opened the glass door, stepping out of the shower and making his way over to the neetly folded pile of cloths he had placed prior, making sure to not leave her out of sight. Clumsily putting his basketball shorts on while paying heet to not drop the towel Tyler rushed to get dressed, blank fear gripping his heart the moment he had to slip his shirt over his head and his vision was blocked for a second. Another yell escaped his lips as his face emerged from the collar, and he directly faced her, as she somehow had made her way through the room in that split of a moment, now standing uncomfortably close to him. "Fuck...stay back!" he spit, trying to back up, but hitting the sink right behind him, trapped between the strange person and the furniture. "Ts,ts, why so jumpy, Ty? You're used to deal with demons, so you shouldn't be so stunned by me." the woman gave nonchallantly, not taking a step back. "Who the fuck are you? What do you want?" Placing his hands close to his hips so he could use them for the case she'd attack Tyler tried to give off confidence then, although he realised well that his whole body language told another story. Leaning in even closer so their noses were nearly touching the woman blew a string of smoke into his face, making him cough hard, before she grabbed his cheeks and made him stare at her. "I, boy, am the devil. And what I want is you!" she whispered sweetly, before she closed the gap and kissed him hard. Startling into action then Tyler ripped his hands up and placed them at her shoulders, pushing her back full force, ready to emerge out of the room, but something kept him pinned, unable to leave his location, while the woman stumbled back laughing, caught her balance, and threw her cigarette to the floor, not bothering to kill it while she lit another one.

"You....you'll leave immediatly or I'll call security and they'll take you to the police this is illegal, you can't come in here and...." Sighing the woman turned and walked back to the toilet, sitting down again, watching him rambling on. "...I'll get a lawsuit on you! You're not the first messed up fan I deal with, I'll...." holding up her hand she just flipped her fingers and suddenly Tyler went silent, placing his hand on his throat in panic, trying desperatly to speak, but it felt like something closed up his vocal chords, gripped them hard and painfull, killing every sound he was about to make. "You talk too much, Ty, and think too less. I wouldn't say that this is one of your regular flaws, but right now you should shut up and listen a bit." Gripping on to the sink, the only thing that felt real and stable right now, Tyler tried to shut his eyes and open them again, hoping the strange nightmare would end then, but his sight only fell on the woman, sitting there with her legs placed on one another, her short dress running up her thighs dangerously high. "I'm not here to harm you." she placed then, taking another deep drag, filling the room with more smoke, sending it flowing around the detector, that seemed to refuse to recognise it. "You're too precious to be harmed. Still...I won't hesitate to do so if you don't stop being so disrespectfull." Recognizing the terror growing on his face the woman sighed again and gave a wave of her hand, the pressure on the singers throat subsiding right away. "You may speak." she added, leaning back a bit more. Croaking out a few syllabas Tyler tried to stable himself, get his shit together, still his voice trembled when he finally could form a sentence. "Again...who the fuck are you?" he gave. "I told you already." "Bullshit! You're not the devil! You can't be...." being stopped midsentence by one of her snips Tyler was about to go insane when his words were blocked again, when he was cursed to listen. "I have a question for you, Ty. Do you believe in god?" She gave him a few minutes to think then before she waved her hand again. "Speak!" the woman ordered and the singer found his words tumbling out of his mouth without his concsious decission. "I do, but...." "There's not but in faith, boy, you out of all people should know that." Throwing her smoked cigarette towards him, nearly hitting his chest the woman changed the postition of her legs, now openening them, leaving all the sight up to her core, which was, as Tyler recognized with terror, completly uncovered. "If you really, truely believe in him,..." gesturing to the ceiling with a hint of disgust on her face, "and the three of us know perfectly you do, then you should give the possibility I exist at least a chance."

Shaking his head fast the singer gripped the sink hard enough to make his knuckles go white. "I DO believe there's a devil, but he's for sure not a middle aged cougar, trying to insult me in my own dressroom!" he spit, gasping as the woman laughed on that, and spread her legs further, her hand dropping down between them, starting to rub her clit. "What, you don't want to fuck me? Hm...you're dick seems to have another opinion on that!" Recognising his pants had gotten rather thigt Tyler tried in horror to calm his body down, not understanding how he could react that way. "That's....I'm not...you...I'm married!" he pushed out finally, feeling a bit of relief when she stopped her action and laughed again. "You need to relax, Ty. I'm only playing with you. Humans are soooo easy to play with. It's fun." Slowly it dawned to him that he wasn't about to get out of this situation quickly. The door of the bathroom was just a few steps away and Tyler knew that if he ran out there yelling a whole troop of people would be at his side in an instant, but he somehow just couldn't find the strength to do so. Slowly, very slowly he let himself slit down to the floor then, sat down crosslegged, his hands lying on his feet, ready to defend himself should she get closer again. "So...you're insane right? What is it? Drugs? Shizophrenia?" he gave defeated, glad she didn't show any sign of coming close to him again. Sickness raised in his insides as she laughed, a clear, high tone in her voice, her head thrown back, her mouth slightly opened. The fangs he could spot there didn't even surprise him in a way, they just added another layer of terror to the situation. "I'm more sane then you will ever be." Trying to change his stragety the singer gave his voice a threatning undertone then. "They'll be looking for me shortly. They'll catch you." he predicted, but she just waved him off with her ever lasting smile. "Time has no significance where I am, Ty. Want a proove? Take a look at your watch." Again his fingers reacted without his willing, sneaked up the sink until they grabbed his ticker, his eyes falling on the dial, leaving him with a gasp. The needles seemed to go crazy, rounding the dial in lightning speed, ticking away the seconds, minutes and hours like they would be nothing until they suddenly stopped, hoovered timeless for a second and then started to run backwards. Throwing the watch from him as hard as he could, smashing it on the wall beside her Tyler had enough of this. Pushing himself up he took a defensive stand and trusted his voice to get loud. "STOP THAT! Whatever you want, whatever you're thinking you're accomplishing here, just STOP! GET THE FUCK OUT!"

Unimpressed the woman took another cigarette, although her aura seemed to change. She gave not longer the impression of being amused, but slightly annoyed, and the huff with which she blew the smoke just underlined that thought. "You're playing with my patience, boy! But there's one thing we're on the same page about...we've waisted too much time already. I'm not here to make small talk, although you're rather disporting." Out of ideas Tyler surrendered then, hoping that if he let her talk she'd disappear again. "Ok...so...not that I believe you but to get over with this...let's pretend for a second you ARE the devil. What the fuck do you want from ME then?" he gave defeated, not leaving his protective stance though. "See?" she answered, now smiling again and raising, but not coming towards him, "Now we're getting somewhere! Still...I think you need a little help to realise what's going on here...so let me show you..." It wasn't possible, Tylers ratio did recognise that, still the moment didn't bent to his logic when suddenly there was a storm around him, blowing up the paper towels out of the basket, the lights flickering for a second before they went out completly. Still the room didn't turn dark, instead the floor started to gloom, change it's consistence, fell away somehow. Looking down Tyler suddenly found himself standing at the edge of a rock, nothing but fire beneath him, the heat rising up making him sweat instantly, while coldness gripped his heart and brought it out of rythm, made it stumble and causing him pain. Pressing his palm to his chest he screamed, out of his mind, looking up at her again just to get the next shock. Her body hadn't changed at all, so had her features, but where her eyes had been there were black holes suddenly, an empty space, but just for a moment until he caught a movement, until worms started to fall out of them, crawling down her cheeks and beginning to feed on her skin. "SHIT! FUCK! NO! STOP!" Tyler screamed, nearly unable to breath now as the smoke of the fire climbed up his form. And then, in an instant, it suddenly was gone. The singer found himself back in the bathroom, the lights working normal, the ground solid under his feet again, the only proove of what just happened the paper scattered all over the room around him. Shaking like a leaf Tyler tried hard to keep it together then. Scanning his mind he tried to remember if he had taken his meds, if this was a product of the sick mind he was cursed with all his life, but he was sure that he'd taken his pills, and there hadn't been an episode in ages. "You...you..." was all he could say, not able to move as she stepped towards him again, flinching but not retreating when she laid her hand on his shoulder, a dull pain appearing right where she touched him. "Yeah? I'm?....Say it!" she ordered, her gaze drilling into his, scanning his eyes, and moreso, his soul. "You...You're the devil!" he whispered, his words like a manifastation of reality, gripping his mind and turning it to believe what he saw.

Patting his head the woman grinned, dangerous and endearing at the same time. "Good boy! I knew you are a bright one! Now let's get to buisness, shall we? You may want to close your eyes, Ty...traveling can be harsh on humans sometimes." "What..." was all he could reply before his body was ripped out of time suddenly, a rush ran through his veins and his sourroundings got blurred for a moment, before they went stable again and he found himself in a completly other environment. It took some seconds to adjust, but as he was clear enough Tyler quickly recognised the room. It was white, clinical, the stench of desinfection lying in the air. Beside of a bed and some machines it was empty, and as he realised who was lying in the clinical sheets his heart nearly stopped. "Pops!" he yelled, ready to hurry over to the bed and touch his grandfather, who lay there lifeless, only held to existence by the machines around him, but the woman stopped him with her hand on his shoulder, anchoring him down beside her. "Stop. He can't hear you. Nobody can. You're not there Ty, not really. I just let you see." she declared, not bothering to soothe his shaking. "You know already I can make you listen, but I'll prefere you'd choose to do so." she added, watching him intently. The singers face was wet by now, tears running down his cheek. He hadn't visited his grandfather since he had been admitted to a hospiz, a place he was expected to die in in peace, too scared had he been to face the harsh truth, that the man he adored and loved so much would be gone soon. The more the sight hit him now, raised guilt and shame in his heart about how he had turned away when he was needed the most. Accepting that he didn't seem to have a choice he nodded slightly then, not taking his eyes from the bed, wishing hard he could stretch out his hand and take his grandfathers crinkled fingers in his, stroke them gently. Tyler didn't even flinch this time, when she came near him, brought her mouth close to his ear. "He's dying, Ty. Technically seen, he's already dead, but you know that. They told you. Still...his soul is still here and will be for a while. The battle isn't decided yet. And it's up to you who will win it." Absently answering her Tyler took in how thin his grandfather had gotten, how sunken in his features were. "What do you mean...which battle? I...I don't understand!" Her breath felt cold running down his neck, still he had stopped to shiver. Maybe the terror had sunken in enough already, maybe it was her influencing him, but he felt calm then, collected, more then he should have been in that moment. "Oh come on, use that pretty brain of yours, boy! The eternal battle...good against evil...the war on souls. Don't tell me you don't know about it!" The air seemed to get thicker, his vision blurring on the outsides, still this all felt too real to ignore. "But...it's...that's...a...a story! A fairytale if you want!" he answered, his eyes burning of tears that won't fall anymore. "Really? Like...you're serious?" Sighing she took a step back, her presence still not leaving his aura. "Seems like you need some more proove. Close your eyes!" This time Tyler followed her suggestion, the strange pulling on his body becoming iminent again, like it would be ripped out of time, thrown through the dimensions, collide with reality soon. Afraid to look Tyler only whispered then, not knowing where she had took him. "What...I can't..." "YOU CAN!" her voice was back suddenly, unbelieveable loud and hurting his ears, jolting his eyes open.

The scenery had changed completly, they were outside now, beneath trees, branches softly swaying in the wind. It was a graveyard, the singer realised with terror, full of people, all around them, still noone seemed to recognise them there. A couple came walking down the pathway, and walked right through them, as if they weren't there, and for a second Tyler was overcome with emotions that wasn't his, with deep sadness, desperation, grief, that vanished the second the couple had passed. In the back of his mind he understood that it had been their feelings, and he felt connected, like he knew them somehow, without ever having seen their faces. "What's...what is that? What are we doing here?" he asked, the woman the only thing in this that seemed familiar, although every fibre of his being denied her being so. "You refuse to believe the truth, Ty. The words of the book you vow to live by. So we're here to watch. We're here to see it." Grabbing his hand she pulled him foreward, through the rows of people, standing around an open grave, a coffin placed there, ready to be sunken down into the earth. Feeling that he couldn't say something even if he wanted Tyler fell silent then, watched, tried to understand what was going on. A priest went up to the grave then, taking his stance before the crowd, looking at the couple with pity before he started to speak. "We've come together here today to remember the life of Susanna Bolt, who was ripped out of her youth way too early. All of you who knew her, knew her battle too. Susanna was a bright, lovly young lady, in the midst of her best years, but the terrible condition of depression was weighting too hard on her young mind, and after she had fought it for so long, in the end it sadly won. Today we're here to commit her soul to the lord, our loving, forgiving god, that's going to take her in his kingdome regardless to her decission to take the life he had given her." The priest talked on but Tyler couldn't hear him for a moment, all he could listen to was the wind in the trees and the voice of the woman, now close enough to feel her again. "Awwww, that's nice! The parson really thinks he would take a weak, suicidal bitch up there." A cold laugh broke the spell for a moment, made the singer growl angry. "That's not how it works. That's not what's really happening. There are three kind of people in this world, Ty. There are saints, that go right up there, sinners, that join me right away and then there are this ones..." gesturing at the coffin she got on, "the souls that hoover in between. And let me tell you a secret..." leaning in and licking a broad stripe up his throat the woman grabbed his arms hard from behind "...the most of you are like this! Halfway good, halfway bad, too weak to be an angel but too fucking obidient to him to be a demon too."

The noises came back again then, the sobbing of the woman, who Tyler supposed to be the mother, ripping through the silence, making the pastor pause for a moment, before he gestured one of his helpers, who brough a radio out then. "Susanna has left a notice. She wanted her family, her friends, all of her loved ones to know, that she tried as hard as she could. That she fought with all she had to overcome the disease she had to battle. And that all of you had been the best help she could have ever asked for. That all of you had given her all the love, all the hope to stay alive. And that she's sorry, she couldn't hold up in the end anymore. Susanna also asked for a song to be played today, one that she hoped would be a reminder of her for all of you, a reminder of how her love will embrace you all forever, even if she's not with us anymore. I've listened to the words of this song before I came here. And they are beautiful words, although they hold a lot of doubt, which is literally the title of this song. This is why I ask you to pray now, while we'll grant Susannas wish for it to be played. Pray for her doubtfull soul to find peace in the arms of our heavenly father, who has never forgotten about her. Not even in her darkest hour." With a nod the priest ordered the helper to start the music then and the notes flew threw the air like daggers, gouging theirselves directly into Tyler's soul. "No..." he whisepered as his own voice raised from the speakers, started to float over the graveyeard.

~~ Scared of my own image  
Scared of my own immaturity  
Scared of my own ceiling  
Scared I'll die of uncertainty  
Fear might be the death of me  
Fear leads to anxiety  
Don’t know what’s inside of me  
Don't forget ab-b-b-b-bout me~~

"NO!" he screamed then, when the helpers started to lower the coffin, when the song went on, note after note hitting him hard. "Oh yes, Ty!" the woman laughed into his neck, not subsiding the preassure on his arms. "Oh, yes, baby, it is! She was a fan of yours. One of your most loyal followers. She cried through nights and nights to your songs. She wrote you message after message on twitter. She tried to meet you, a year ago, when you were in town, when she attended a concert. And know what, Ty? You even passed her by on your way to the venue. She was that one fan asking for an autograph when you were so busy, when your bodyguard urged you to get in the car and all you said to her was . But that's not the end of the story. Watch and see..."

The song had ended, a relief Tyler found, as he finally could breath a bit again. Still his stomache felt like turning, pile rose up his throat, as a stench started to spread around them, wobbling up from the coffin, like rotten flesh, and he heaved, emptied the little content he got in him right before his feet. There was a shadow lingering down there, right above the wood, and it slowly extanded, started to wrap itself around the box. With pure terror Tyler started to recognise faces forming in the dark, ugly, torn ones, burning eyes and screaming mouths. "No..." he started again, fell on his knees, his hands digging into the loose earth beside the grave. "Nononononononono!" He wanted to scrabble foreward, to get down there, wanted to rip that coffin open, protect whoever she had been, but he was held back, simple by a finger crawling into his hair and twisting a strand around it. "You can't save her, Ty. Not anymore. She's already mine. But...you can save all the other ones. Your mum, your dad, your siblings...your grandfather. Friends, relatives, Fans...you even can save Jenna." By the mention of his wifes name something broke inside of him. Getting to his feet in a rush, freeing himself from her grip, Tyler spinned around and grabbed the woman, shoved her into a tree, pressing up his forearm on her throat, angered even more by the way her cold smile spread on her face. "DON'T YOU EVER DARE TO SAY HER NAME AGAIN!" he spit, dangerously silent, still with full venom. Shaking her head slightly, like she'd pitty him the woman licked her lips and bashed her eyes on him. "You poor, silly boy. You still don't get me, do you? Well...in this case...I'm afraid you'll have to learn it the hard way! You've got no choice, Ty. You're not a hero, and you're for sure no saint. You're more a demon then you've ever realized, and you WILL obey me. The only question is: Will you change your stubborn mind soon enough for the people around you to survive?"

A flash, like lightning, hit him straight then, and Tyler screamed, pressed his hands against his head as the pain exploded. Colliding hard with the cold tiles he nearly blacked out, but managed to fall to his knees and not hit his head into the glass door with full force. Still the impact hurt and he groaned, his vision being completly blurry. There was red wavering around his knees and trying to focus he realised it was blood, mixed with water. Slowly coming to his senses the singer found himself in the shower, the water running down on him, washing away the blood that spilled out of the cut on his front. "Shit!" he cursed, feeling his stomache tighten, but knew he wouldn't be able to puke. There was nothing left in him. Slowly reaching out his shaking hand and pushing the glass door open Tyler crawled out of the shower, nearly slipped on the wet floor, paper towels soaking up the splash of water he brought with him. Gripping a towel blindly he pressed it to his head, while he clusmily reached out for another one, placing it on his middle, so he wasn't totally exposed. "J...Jordan!" the singer called out then, his volume way too low to be heared, so he took some breaths, cursed some more and tried to fight the black out, before he yelled again. "JORDAN...MARK...." nearly passing out Tyler leaned his back against the wall, the coldness soothing his mind somehow. "Anyone..." he added a lot more silently, feeling his strength slowly fate, his conciousness dying down. "Please...." was the last phrase falling from his lips before the world went dark.


	2. Chapter 2

The first sense he came to was smelling and Tyler wished hard it wouldn’t have been that way. A strong stench of desinfection creeped up his nose, made him heave, but it didn’t last all too long as the pain exploded in his head the moment he tried to move. Giving a pained groan he stayed put then, trying to open his eyes and clenching them shut again when he was blinded by bright daylight, falling through big, clear windows. Nearly overlooking a warm hand being placed on his cheek, a soft voice reaching his ears Tyler chased the touch, pressed his face into the palm, a sense of familiarity washing over him. It still took some moments until he was clear enough to get what happened, and focusing his eyes on his wife Tyler gave a grateful sigh. Jenna. His harbour, his safety. Whatever had happened, she was there, and with that nothing could go wrong now. „…still, you’ve hit your head really bad, baby.“ Wanting to reply, but finding his lips cracked and his throat too dry to do so Tyler whimpered a bit, wanting her to go on, to anchor him in reality, and like so often she got him, without words, without gestures. „Shhhh….it’s ok. Just rest for now, you can tell me later.“ She hurried to calm him, never taking her hand off his face, lacing the fingers of her other with his. „I’m not sure if you remember what happened, but it looks like you passed out in the bathroom and earned yourself a cut. It’s not that big, thankfully, they just glued it, but you may have a concussion.“ Sighing the blonde leaned back now a bit, and took in the picture of her injured husband. Tyler was pale, she recognised, he probably felt sick, and the bandage around his head made him look pretty miserable. It wasn’t the right time to scold him, Jenna decided, still she promised herself to do so later. Too often she already had discussed with him about how much he strained himself for the shows. That he drank way too less through out the day in order to save a perfect voice. That he skipped all meals past noon, so he wouldn’t get sick on stage. There had been a few occasions already, where Josh had to stable him when they walked off stage, and people had rushed to give him water and glucose to get his circuit going again. Tyler always had brushed her off on that, told her he was a healthy young man, he could take a little being nauseous from time to time, but it had always worried her to no end. Right now Jenna felt approved in her opinion, and she hated it. 

Going on, so she could leave that train of thought behind her, she pushed the button fort he nurse, as she had been told to do so once he woke up. „Please don’t worry about the tour right now, ok? Fueled has already cancled the next three dates, there won’t be concerts until next week. The doctor told us you’ll need some days to recover, and when you go back on stage you need to take it slow first too.“ Huffing annoyed Tyler shook his head a bit, a bad decission he learned, when another wave of pain hit him. They didn’t have time to get further into that though, as the nurse entered the room, shooing Jenna away from the bed and starting a row of tests on her husband. 

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„All test showed you have not taken further damage. So, if your wife promises us to keep you down…“ giving Jenna a playfull wink the doctor continued, „you’re free to go now. I’ll fill in some precribtions for painkillers and something against the sickness, you can pick them up at the front desk when you check out.“ Turning to the young singer again the doctor gave him a last check over, pleased with the way his patient sat there a bit crestfallen, but still with a lot more colour on his skin. „It was a pleasure to have you here, Mr. Joseph. I know it might be a bit…unfitting…but…could you maybe sign something for my daughter? She’s a big fan of yours.“ Smiling warmly Tyler nodded and took the pen out of the mans hands, asking for the kids name before he skribbled a note to her down quickly. Satisfied the doctor left the room and Tyler rose cautiously, he had tried to stand up before and it hadn’t went so well, but this time his head seemed to be ok with the change of possition. It was a fruitless fight that followed then, when he wanted to take his bag himself, but Jenna refused stubborn to let him. Making their way out of the hospital Tyler was glad to learn his wife had planned with foresight, like so often. They did check out on the front desk, but they left through a back entrance, their car and bodyguard already waiting. 

Passing by the group of fans in the front of the hospital though Tyler clenched his jaw, he would have loved to stop and say hy to them, thank them for their concern but he knew he wasn’t in the condition to do that right now, so he let his head fall back and closed his eyes, listening to the silent conversations around him. Squeezing his hand ligthly Jenna brought him back though, smiling at him and placing a quick peck on his lips. „Off the the hotel, it is.“ she gave cheerfully, reading his features, getting his dislike of that. „You can be glad I’m not flying you home! Your mum nearly convinced me to come back to Columbus, but I told her there’s not enough sedatives in this state to drug you down enough to get you to board a plane, so she gave in.“ Chuckling lightly the singer trusted his voice enough finally to get a conversation going, although it sounded rough and unused. „If it wasn’t for us being married she would have flew over and drag my sorry ass home herself.“ The bright laugh he received made him happy, and Tyler decided to be content with the situation for now…he couldn’t change it anyway. Still he was deeply pissed at himself. The stupid little accident had been totally unnecassary, he had tried to recall what exactly had happened, but his memory was blurred. The doctor had told him it would get better in a few days, once his brain started to heal, but right now all he could remember was getting into the shower and then blacking out. 

It was a big hello when they finally reached the hotel, while the roadcrew had decided to went home for the week Tyler’s „inner circle“ had stayed. Of course Josh were the first to pull him in a hug, whispering to him how glad he was nothing major happened, while Mark just padded his shoulder and told him to „take it easy, pal!“. Splitting off into their rooms they all came across to go out for dinner later, when Tyler was rested, and Jenna started to gently drag him to the elevator. Like a puppy the singer followed, let her take him to their room. He only started to rebell when the blonde wanted to tug his shirt off and shoo him to bed. „Jen, I’m not ill to death for gods sake, I just hit my head!“ „..and cut it open. You WILL rest, dear husband of mine, or I will MAKE you.“ Tilting his head and smiling amused Tyler crossed his arms before his chest. „And how, if you don’t mind me asking, do you plan to do that exactly? Like…I know I’m only 153 but, still.“ Feeling a shiver run down his spine when she fixed him with kind of a predatory gaze and sttepped closer seductivly Tyler gulped hard. „You underestimate my power, boy!“ she gave, before dropping her hands to his belt and starting to open it. „You will get into that bed and you will stay on your back….and you’ll let everything else be my problem.“

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„Tyyyyyyler!“ Steering in his sleep the singer grunted annoyed. Jenna had worked her magic on him, and honestly, who was he to complain about getting layed, but she had worn him down and all he wanted to do now was sleep. Turning a bit to the side he mumbled a „Go away!“ when the voice called his name again, more urgent and pressing now. A yell escaped his mouth though when he suddenly stood straight, without his cooperation, like if a strange force had lifted him up. Blinking confused Tyler tried to find his bearings and froze, frigthened down to the bone when a face appeared right in front of him, one he didn’t know, an old man. „I’m waiting, boy. And I will not let up.“ The man told, still his voice was that of a woman, and before Tyler could even ask he found himself on his back again, in the white sheets oft he hotel, cold sweat covering hi schest and front, a worried wife perched above him. „Ty! Baby! Wake up! Sh….it’s good, it was just a nightmare, you’re good!“ she stressed obviously worried and he placed his hands on her thighs to signal he was awake and with her. Letting out the breath she had hold Jenna relaxed a bit then, sliding off of him and placing herself beside him, pulling him into her arms and cradeling his head on her chest. „That was a nasty one, wasn’t it? You yelled.“ she continued while stroking his hair, used to sooth him that way.   
„No..yes…I don’t know. It was…strange.“ Tyler answered after a few minutes of silence, changing their position and now letting her rest in his arms, the way he was conivnced it had to be. „Thanks for waking me up though. Damn concussion!“ „Well, maybe NOW you’ll realize the need of rest.“ Jenna sighed, freeing herself from him and standing up, starting to search for her clothes. „That’s what you get for not listening to your wife and mother. Anyway, I’m hungry, I’ll join the others for dinner now. I figured you’d rather stay in bed, so I’ll bring something when I get back. There’s pain killers on the nightstand, also your phone and the TV control, so I guess you’re good for now.“ 

Pouting childishly Tyler looked up at her under his ruffled hair, a sight that made her smile and lean down, peck his lips. „Awwwww…poor baby! I promise it won’t take long, but I’m really hungry, I haven’t eat properly since I got to the hospital yesterday.“ Looking down Tyler felt kind of guilty hearing that. It had been his little inattention that had caused her so much worry, and he gave a rasp „I’m sorry.“, felt her hand on his chin, lifting his head so she could see his eyes. „Hey, babe…it’s ok. I know you always only want the best for them, your show to be perfect. But we still gotta work on your concert-day-routine, you’ll have to eat more and maybe think over the not drinking thing. We’ll talk about this later though. Now rest, ok?“ Nodding silently the singer was so thankfull to call this angel his wife. He knew perfectly that she was a little mad at him, and still all she gave him was love and encouragement, so the least he could do was follow her order and stay down. Switching on the TV he got comfortable, while she dressed, and started to change through the channels when Jenna left, not without blowing him another kiss. Sighing he slid into the pillow further, telling „So let’s see what european TV has to offer!“ to noone in particular, follwoing the plot of a very bad daily soap for a minute. A girl was crying and throwing things at a guy, obviously he had cheated on her with her best friend, who entered the scene too and got hit by a lamp. Grinning Tyler shook his head about how flat the story was before he switched, a fitness show now flickering over the screen. Woman and men in leggings did a sweaty work out to some music and absently starting to pop his head to the beat he instatly stopped it when the pain returned. „Ugh!“ the singer growned and grabbed the painkillers from the nightstand, washing them down quickly with a glass of water, trying not to think of it too much. It had been some time since he had to take pills, and he definitly didn’t wish that back on him. Concentrating on the TV again he realized he must had switched the channel again, although he couldn’t remember it, but that had to be the side effects of his brain getting a hard blow. 

A black and white movie was now shown, and Tyler needed some seconds to get what it was about, the scenery leaving him unseasy right away somehow. A man stumbled through a dark cave, towards a flickering light, holding his head. He mumbled under his breath, and Tyler couldn’t catch what, so he kept watching, curious what was happening next. With great effort the men reached the end of the tunnel, held in for a moment and the camera switched, taking a flight over what was underneath him, in another cave, big like a cathedral. The lack of colour somehow made the pictures even more intense, when there was lava, fire all around, and eerie screams filled the hotel room. There were people burning in the hot sea, screaming for help, their hair singed, their skin black and broken. Tyler wanted to heave, and reached out for the controll, but as he grabbed it and pressed the buttons nothing happened. „Fuck!“ he exclaimed, realising the batteries must have ran dry, and hoping the film would be over soon as he really didn’t felt like getting up. The man on the screen stumbled back now, wanted to turn and run, but directly collided with a person, a woman in a red dress, that smiled down at him. Somewhere in the back of his brain Tyler catched the detail, that while the surroundings stayed black and white she was in full colour, but he couldn’t process it, even less when the camera did a close up on her face. A shiver ran through the singer, as he watched perfect lips curl into a cruel smile. A whole jerk ran through him, when she started to speak. „Hello Ty…“ she said, „i hope you missed me.“ 

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„Man, twitter is really boiling over!“ Mark sighed when he placed his phone on the table and thanked the waiter that handed him his plate. „What are they up to now?“ Josh asked him around a mouth full of french fries from the opposite side, smiling at Jenna as she reached out and whiped a drop of ketchup off his chin. „Well, you know, the usual. Some think you guys had a fight, some think Jenna’s pregnant, and some think…“ stopping himself Mark looked up, realizing that maybe he better should have shut up, as everyone watched him with interest. „Yeah?“ Brad asked with a raised brow, his burger hoovering halfway between the plate and his mouth. „It’s stupid.“ The videographer mumbled and started to eat, not wanting to voice the main worry the fanbase mentioned way too often for his own liking. They just didn’t realise that they were too close tot he truth sometimes, although it was a truth that had been existing years ago, when they were travelling around in a van, when him, Michael and Josh had quietly removed all razors out of their bags and drowned them in a gas stations toilet. Tyler was stable now, had been since years, and even if the uneasy feeling never had left his friends, they all knew perfectly they didn’t had to worry about him making foolish decissions anymore. The singer had grown, as musician as well as a person, and the struggle of his teenage years lay far behind them. „Don’t worry about them.“ Jenna softly spoke and took a sip of her coke, „I’ll post a picture with him later, telling them he has just hit that pretty head of his.“ „Is he ok though?“ the drummer at her side asked, his voice dropping low, pointing out his worry. Shrugging and trying to let it sound like a joke the blond stole a fry from him and shoved him lightly. „It’s Tyler we’re talking about. Is he ever?“ 

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Throwing the controll at the screen and scrambling back into the headboard as much as he could Tyler gave a yell, only to freeze in terror, when the TV went black, but the voice did sound up again. „You haven’t honestly thought it would be that easy, haven’t you?“ it said, now changing the direction it came from, appearing to ring out oft he small bathroom attached to his suit. „Who is this?“ he screamed, grabbing the sheets closer to cover his still naked body, trying desperatly to find his phone that seemed to have dissappeared somewhere in the matress. „Oh you know my name, darling. But if you’d like to pick…“ a figure materialized itself in the doorframe, and the singer gasped, not believing his eyes as an old man started to wobble towards him, took a seat on a chair nearby the bed and stretched his legs out. „Lord of the darkness, the fallen angel, the unspeakble, Lucifer….but I gotta say I’ve always preferred Satan.“ Pressing his eyes closed Tyler tried to get rid of the halluszination as he started to babble hectic „No,no,no,not real, no, not real“s to himself, but got stopped by the noise of movement. Carefully open one eye the singer found the man still sitting there, now with crossed arms and an amused look on his face. „Do we really have to go through that again, Ty? I’m kind of dissapointed! I thought our last travel would be enough to convince you, but we can always take another one, if we must.“ „No! Wait!“ Trying to get his breathing under controll the singer gave himself some minutes to collect, to let his brain accept the fact that this was not a dream, not the injury messing with him. The man waited paitently it seemed, observing how he still tried to look out for his phone, until Tyler gave up and faced him. „So…we’ve met before, haven’t we?“ he started, trying to buy time. „Yes we have. And you know it. See, the human brain is a very annoying thing. He gave you the ability to use that brain to surpress things that could lead you towards me. Luckily, he has underestimated my power though.“ 

Starring at the man, a thousand questions running his thoughts at once, Tyler gulped. „I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about.“ He finally answered, the shiver returning when the man fixed him with his dark, withdrawn eyes. „Our little encounter in the bathroom. Your little trip to the funeral. Come on, boy, use your imagination.“ Wanting to yell again Tyler suddenly found his memory, the whole cruel ordeal reaplying in his mind and he gasped, going silent, wide eyed horror written all over his face. „Ah, there we go!“ the man chuckled and leaned foreward, braced his forearms on his thighs. „So, if we could leave that whole introducion thing behind now? We’ve got a lot of work to do, sweety, and although I’ve got an eternity…I don’t like waiting at all.“ „What the hell….“ Paddling back mentally Tyler whinced, „heck do you want from me?“ It was supposed to sound threatning, but his voice betrayed him and displayed his fear, something that his opposite clearly enjoyed. „I’ve already told you. But humans are so slow, so I’ll explain it again, one last time. Listen closely. Pay attention. I really don’t want to have to make you.“ Nodding wordlessly the singer gripped the sheets harder, his only protection form the predatory gaze. „Good boy! So, as you may have figured out with your limited intelligence, you’re quiet a big shot now. People listen to you. They tend to do that, to listen to the shallow words of other humans, the ones he armed with a charisma like yours. I wouldn’t need you, if he had layed off this damn little detail, but unfortunatly people tend to go insane if I try to talk the truth to them. So you’ll be my little prophet, won’t you? You’ll bring my words to them, tie them into that sweet melodies of yours, so they sink in deeply into their soul.“ Scanning his face the man sighed, shook his head a little. „It’s not like you haven’t spoken of me already! You even said my name on stage, multiple times. It’s not that new to you. We just need to change your angle of sight a bit.“ 

„So…“ biting his lip for a moment Tyler tried to push down the panic that constantly tried to grip his whole being and stay focused, „you’re basically asking me to write a song about…the devil?“ Cocking his head the man smiled. „Maybe you ARE brighter then I give you credit for. Basically, yes.“ „Isn’t that a bit…I don’t know…useless?“ the singer proceeded to fathom what the heck was going on. „And there I was, thinking you’d believe in the power of your work. Wasn’t it you telling all your family and friends that you’re on a mission? That this is more then simply making music and pleasing the masses?“ The question hung in the air for some moments, heavy and thick, full of importance. Grinding his teeth Tyler huffed. „Yes. It is.“ „So why do you think it couldn’t work the other way around to? This people, Ty, this kids…the most of those who follow you are what we call . They aren’t evil, but they are not good either. They’re stuck in the existence the most of you humans are caged in. Living their little, limited lifes, not thinking about the bigger picture. And when their time has come…it’s the thousands of decissions, the millions of words, the billions of thoughts they had all their life. It’s what decides where they’re going in the end. And for my liking, too much of them don’t come my way.“ „Just to get this right…“ feeling kind of anger now raising in his throat Tyler wanted to spit into the mans face, but realized his movements where bound to the bed, „You want ME to influence their souls so they’ll end up with YOU?“ „We’ve already cleared that up, haven’t we? You should start working now.“ Taking a deep breath Tyler lowered the sheets, so his hands were free, and crossed his arms on his chest. „No.“ A pained smile ran over the mans features, as he placed a hand on his front. „Don’t do this, Ty.“ „I said no.“ The singer gave, now with even more vigor then before, bracing himself for an outbreak of the other, being left totally surprised when the men just stood up and walked towards the bathroom again. „Then have a great day.“ He stated and wanted to open the door, but stopped when he was called out. „Hey! Wait!“ Not turning around the figure froze, the whole body language signalising he was waiting for Tyler to get on. „That’s it? You’re just leaving? Like…didn’t you tell me it won’t be THAT easy?“ Giving him a last look over his shoulder the man smirked. „Yeah I did. And I’ll stand to my words. You’ll learn that soon enough, boy.“ 

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Taking his eyes of the computer screen and smiling Joel grabbed his phone and took the call. He didn’t wait for a hello, but started to speak right away, letting his joy flow into his words. „Wow, you’ve must have hit your head harder then Jenna told if you decided to call your priest after months of not talking to me.“ An annoyed huff was the answer and the young priest couldn’t help but chuckle on that, he knew his friend way too well to get pissed on that. „Yeah, I get it, I’m an asshole.“ Tyler gnarrled, while checking his sourroundings suspiciously. After the episode, or at least that was what he filed what had happened as, he hadn’t been able to stand being alone in his hotel room, but also hadn’t want to call Jenna or his friends, so he had dressed and dragged himself into the lobby. It was fairly busy by that time oft he day, but nobody seemed to pay attention to him, so he relaxed a bit. „Well, your sense of sass is perfectly fine, so I guess your head is too.“ Joel answered light hearted, leaning back in his chair and letting his gaze wander outside the window, watching the birds play. „It is. Maybe everone could stop to god damn assume I’m a child! I frickin hit my head nothing more nothing less!“ „Wrong person for blasphemies, friend.“ Sighing the singer put his head on his hand and leaned on the armrest oft he chair he sat in. He was still deeply disturbed by what had happened, and to call one of his closest friends, who also happened to be kind of his spiritual leaders had seemed logic, although right now it felt like it had been a mistake. „Ok, you’re right. Sorry. I’m kind of…stressed at the moment.“ „I figured. Tour is on hold?“ „Yeah, for at least a week. They’re afraid I’d puke on stage or something.“ „And they are probably right! Ty, see, I get you can’t stand skipping concerts, but this time you should really listen to the doctors and your wife. Noone will appreciate it if you challenge your health.“ There was a pause and Joel felt that the other was struggling with himself for a second, but finally gulped the bitter reply lying on his tongue. „Anyway, that’s not why I’m calling.“ „I figured THAT too. So, hit me, pal!“ 

Observing an old couple crossing the lobby Tyler shivered on the mans sight, alhtough he didn’t reassamble the one that had haunted him an hour ago in no way. „It…might sound a bit strange…but…“ fighting to find the right words the singer sighed and reigned his attention in, brought it back to the conversation, „what do you know about the devil?“ Joel had gotten up meanwhile and walked to his window, letting the sun caress his face. „That’s a joke, isn’t it?“ Slightly worried the priest bit his lip when the answer came way harsher then expected. „Fucking no! Can you stop that now please and just listen?“ Wondering what had gotten his friend so worked up Joel shrugged, realising Tyler couldn’t see him at the same moment. „Yes I can. Sorry.“ „So…what do you know of him…it? Like…does he afflict people? Like…coming to them, wanting them to do his dirty work?“ Letting the question sink in for a moment the priest turned and started to pace his office. „Well…that’s not exactly easy to answer. Why? Did you meet him?“ Getting right away his joking tone was a mistake Joel send a „I’m sorry!“ right after it before he continued. „I suppose you’re not asking about what’S written in the books, you know them nearly better then me. So, this is about the hypothetical possibility Satan materializes in front of people and talks to them?“ Flinching on a loud noise Tyler scolded himself for being so jumpy and tried to ignore the throng around him. „Yeah, basically.“ „Hm…let me say this carefully…I DO think that things like this happen. But not really in a…physical way? Like…he’s always around Ty, just like god is, lurking and trying to influence our souls. But changing into the shape of a person and directly talking to someone? There’s no…confirmed case of this. Of course there are always some…“ trying to choose his words carefully Joel wondered where the heck this was going, „confused minds that tell of meeting the devil in person, but…Tyler, why are we talking about this?“ „It’s nothing. Ok, thanks for the information. Is your family fine?“ „Yeah, but….“ „I call you back soon, promise!“ Dumbfolded Joel lowered his phone and starred at the screen as the call was ended.


End file.
